Anti-sway mechanism for a modular shelving and display system

ABSTRACT

A modular stand-alone shelving and display system comprising left and right vertical support members, each having front and rear corner posts connected by a welded grid of horizontal and vertical wires (“wires” are also referred to herein interchangeably as “rods”). A vertical display member and optionally one or more shelves formed of sheet metal are disposed between the vertical Support members, each shelf or panel including hook elements formed near the corners thereof for engaging and resting on horizontal wires of the grid. A lock in the form of a slotted tube inserted onto the vertical rod between the tops of the hooks and an adjacent horizontal rod prevents motion of the vertical display member which might result in rhombic distortion of the system. The lock obviates the prior art need for diagonal wires and turnbuckles to prevent rhombic sway of a modular shelving system.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS

The present application is a Continuation-In-Part of a pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 11/192,611, filed Jul. 29, 2005 and now published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0023376 A1, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to metal shelving assemblies; more particularly, to stand-alone metal shelving or display assemblies having diagonal anti-sway rods or wires; and most particularly, to a mechanism for securing a rigid vertical structural element in a stand-alone metal shelving or display assembly that obviates the need for other anti-sway means.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Stand-alone metal shelving assemblies are well known. By stand-alone is meant an assembly that does not require a wall for a portion of its support or stability. A stand-alone assembly may be free-standing away from a building wall or other support or stabilizing element.

A prior art modular shelving system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,647. A prior art modular shelving unit comprises at least two upright members and at least two shelf elements which engage oppositely spaced-apart upright members to form a shelving structure. The upright members are made of a latticework of welded wire which is secured at two opposite edges in support beams (corner posts). The shelf elements are also made of a latticework fixed along two opposite edges thereof in support beams. The support beams of the shelf elements have means at each end for engaging the latticework of an upright member. The latticework of the shelf elements is relatively flexible and may require additional structure and rigidity by means of auxiliary support beams positioned under the shelves for this purpose. The formed structure has relatively little strength against rhombic collapse, also referred to herein as “sway”, in the sideways direction. Thus, one or more anti-sway diagonal braces comprising hooked wires and turnbuckles are recommended across the rear of the prior art unit to provide added structural integrity to the shelving to prevent rhombic collapse.

A shortcoming of such a prior art modular shelving system is the cost of the diagonal braces which includes the cost of the diagonal wires, the cost of formation of hooks on the ends the diagonal wires, and the cost of the turnbuckles. A further shortcoming is that the diagonal braces typically are concealed by shelving or display panels during use thereof and thus are difficult or impossible to adjust if needed once the shelving unit is in service. Further, turnbuckles are known to be vulnerable to corrosion and sticking with time of use and thus can become inoperable.

What is needed in the shelving art is an improved modular metal shelving or display system wherein the assembly is inherently strong against rhombic sway without requiring auxiliary anti-sway braces.

It is a primary objective of the invention to provide a shelving or display assembly which is inherently strong against rhombic sway, yet may be readily assembled and disassembled without the need for tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, a modular stand-alone shelving or display system in accordance with the invention comprises left and right vertical support members, each having front and rear corner posts connected by a welded grid of horizontal and vertical rods. A vertical display member having inherent rhombic strength extends between the vertical support members and also includes hook elements formed near the corners thereof for engaging and resting on horizontal rods in the grid and for straddling a vertical rod on opposite left and right vertical support members. A lock in the form of a slotted tube inserted onto the vertical rod between the tops of the hooks and an adjacent horizontal rod at each upper engagement of the panel hooks and support rods prevents motion of the vertical member and thus prevents rhombic distortion of the shelving or display panel assembly. A plurality of shelves and/or a vertical display member may also be disposed between the vertical support members, each shelf including hook elements formed near the corners thereof for engaging and resting on horizontal rods of the grid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention, as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof, will become more apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the left of a prior art stand-alone modular shelving system substantially in accordance with the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,647;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the right of a stand-alone shelving and display system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a lock in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the portion of the shelving and display system shown as Circle 4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view from the left showing the lock in FIG. 3 in locking position in the shelving and display system of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art free-standing modular shelving assembly 10 comprises shelf elements 11 engaging oppositely spaced upright members 12 to form the shelf structure. FIG. 1 illustrates a double unit, and additional units may be added at either end of upright member 12 as desired.

The shelf elements 11 and upright members 12 are made of latticework 13 comprising welded steel wire. The latticework 13 of shelf elements 11 is provided with structure and rigidity by means of support beams 14 fixed along prongs of opposite edges. Each support beam 14 is made of sheet metal which is bent to provide a U-shaped channel along its length to receive the edge prongs of latticework 13, which are welded in place in the beam channel.

Support beams 14 of shelf elements 11 are provided at each end thereof with means for engaging upright members 12 so as to form the shelf structure. A hook is formed by providing a slot across the end portion of beam 14.

When bracing is required to prevent rhombic sway and collapse, diagonal wire bracing 18 having hooked ends 20 can engage the latticework 13 and be tensioned by means of a conventional turnbuckle 22.

The shortcomings of prior art shelving assembly 10 are recited hereinabove and need not be repeated.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, an improved free-standing modular shelving and display system 100 in accordance with the invention comprises spaced-apart first and second identical vertical support members 102 (and may of course include additional intermediate vertical support members such as member 102 a shown in FIG. 2) which preferably are interchangeable with each other, as well as side-for-side and end-for-end. Each support member 102 includes first and second corner posts 104 a, 104 b. The corner posts are connected along their respective lengths by a rigid grid 108 of horizontal rods 110 and vertical rods 112 welded together at their mutual intersections. Support members 102,102 a may be connected by H-shaped brackets 113 having a plurality of clips 115 for attaching to horizontal rods 110 to increase resistance to torsional deformation in the support members.

In a shelving application for system 100, one or more shelves 116 formed of sheet metal as by stamping and punching are disposed between the spaced-apart vertical support members. Each shelf includes a formed skirt 118 extending orthogonally from the plane of the shelf along all four sides to provide flexural rigidity to the shelf. The front and rear skirts are extended to define hook elements formed near the four corner regions of each shelf for engaging and resting on horizontal rods 110 of grid 108. Thus, all shelves may be installed and removed in system 100 quickly and easily without resort to tools or separate fasteners. Further, shelves may be positioned at any desired height on members 102. Further, shelves may be formed to provide any desired depth of shelf up to the full width of members 102.

In the shelving application, a vertical display member 126 is preferably installed as a back member to provide rhombic stability as described below.

In a display application, a vertical display member 126 formed, for example, of sheet metal as by stamping and punching, or from pegboard 127 having a metal frame 128, or from welded grid 130 of vertical and horizontal wires, also having a metal frame 128, similar to support members 102 is disposed between the vertical support members 102. At the top and bottom of display member 126, frame 128 is extended horizontally to define hook elements 132 formed near the four corner regions for engaging and resting on horizontal rods 110 of grid 108. Each hook element 132 includes a slot having a width substantially the same as the diameter of a horizontal rod 110 such that the member is fixed in the vertical direction by engagement of the hooks with horizontal rods.

In a currently-preferred embodiment, the upper corner regions of vertical member 126 include first and second formed hooks 132 a, 132 b. Hooks 132 a, 132 b are formed as planar extensions of the channel stock from which frame 128 is formed. Hooks 130 a are spaced apart from hooks 130 b by approximately the diameter of a vertical rod 112 such that when vertical member 126 is installed, hooks 130 a, 130 b rest on a horizontal rod 10 and also straddle a vertical rod 112, as shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, thus preventing motion of the vertical member in the front-to-back direction of system 100 and preventing rhombic distortion within the plane of member 128.

Vertical member 126 may be of any desired height up to the full height of vertical support members 102.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an important aspect of a shelving and display system in accordance with the invention is obviation of diagonal support wires and turnbuckles as required in prior art shelving systems to prevent sway and rhombic collapse. In the improved system 100 as discussed thus far, vertical member 126 provides the equivalent anti-sway support by virtue of its rhombic strength. However, to provide this feature, it is essential that vertical member 126 remain in place as previously described, resting on a horizontal wire 110 and adjacent to one or more (as in straddling) vertical wires 112. Accordingly, and referring now to FIGS. 3 through 5, a lock 140 is provided for insertion in an interference fit between the tops of hooks 132 a, 132 b and the next horizontal wire 110 thereabove to ensure that hooks 132 a, 132 b cannot be forced from rest position on horizontal wire 110, thus ensuring the rhombic stability of system 100. A lock 140 may be inserted at any or all of the four corners of member 126 as desired or convenient.

Lock 140 may be readily formed from a length of stock 142 of any convenient cross-sectional shape, cylindrical being presently preferred. A convenient starting material is polyurethane tubing or pipe having a central bore 143 in substantially the diameter of a vertical wire 112. A longitudinal slot 144 having opposed walls 146 a,146 b is formed in stock 142. Slot 144 may be formed having a slot width 148 equal to or preferably slightly less than the diameter of a vertical wire 112 such that the sides of the slot grip the vertical wire to promote retention of the lock in place in system 100.

Lock 140 may be formed from any convenient material, preferably a material that is slightly resilient axially, allowing lock 140 to be cut to a length slightly greater than the distance between the hook tops and the next adjacent horizontal wire so that lock 140 is slightly compressed and therefore readily retained in position after insertion. Presently preferred materials are polyvinyl chloride, silicone rubber, nylon, polyurethane, and polystyrene.

Lock 140 may be readily inserted or removed manually, in accordance with one important advantage of system 100, namely that the system may be fully assembled or disassembled without requiring any tools.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved system of shelving and display. Variations and modifications of the herein described shelving and display system will undoubtedly suggest themselves to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

1. In a modular shelving system and display system including a plurality of spaced-apart vertical support members, each of said members including posts connected by a welded wire grid attached therebetween and formed of vertical and horizontal wires, a vertical display member having rhombic strength disposed between said adjacent spaced-apart vertical support members and having hooks extending therefrom for engaging respective horizontal wires in said adjacent spaced-apart support members, the improvement comprising an anti-sway mechanism including at least one removable lock disposed between at least one of said hooks and an adjacent one of said horizontal wires for retaining said vertical display member in place to provide rhombic stability of said shelving and display system.
 2. A lock in accordance with claim 1 formed of a resilient material.
 3. A lock in accordance with claim 2 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, silicone rubber, nylon, polyurethane, and polystyrene.
 4. A lock in accordance with claim 1 comprising a length of material having a longitudinal slot formed therein, wherein said length is slightly greater than the distance from said hooks to the next adjacent of said horizontal wires, and wherein said slot has a width approximating the diameter of a one of said vertical wires.
 5. A method for installing a lock in accordance with claim 4, comprising the steps of: a) engaging a vertical wire adjacent said hooks into said slot; and b) urging said lock into position between said hooks and a next adjacent horizontal wire.
 6. A modular shelving and display system comprising: a) a plurality of spaced-apart vertical support members, each of said members including first and second posts connected by a welded wire grid attached therebetween and formed of vertical and horizontal wires; b) a vertical display member disposed between said adjacent spaced-apart vertical support members and having hooks extending therefrom for engaging respective horizontal wires in said adjacent spaced-apart support members; and c) at least one removable lock disposed between at least one of said hooks and an adjacent one of said horizontal wires for retaining said vertical display member in place.
 7. A modular shelving and display system in accordance with claim 6 comprising first and second of said spaced-apart vertical support elements.
 8. A modular shelving and display system in accordance with claim 7 comprising at least one shelf element disposed between said first and second vertical support elements.
 9. A modular shelving and display system in accordance with claim 6 wherein at least one corner region of said vertical display member comprises first and second hooks spaced apart from each other more than the diameter of a vertical wire, and wherein said first and second hooks are both resident upon a horizontal wire and straddle a vertical wire.
 10. A modular shelving and display system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said vertical display member includes at least one of said hooks extending from each of four corner regions of said shelf element. 